Thunderstorm Artis Returns To American Idol After Elimination
Thunderstorm Artis didn’t make the Top 3 on American Idol, but he still got to sing on the finale with the War and Treaty.
The 29-year-old musician from Hawaii established himself as a fan-favorite contestant from the start of the current season. Whether singing a cover or an original song he wrote himself, Thunderstorm never failed to impress the judges and Idol viewers.
After delivering so many moving performances, Thunderstorm landed in Idol‘s Top 5. Unfortunately, his Idol journey concluded after that.
Thunderstorm and Slater Nalley were eliminated on Monday (May 12), just one week shy of the finale. They both shared videos on social media after their eliminations, with Thunderstorm telling his followers:
“[I] really wanted to make the Top 3, but it’s totally fine. I feel like we won a lot of things, including making the Top 5. I’m excited to put music out, and I’m excited for what’s next. I know God has a plan.”
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Thunderstorm and Slater are both happy for the three finalists: Jamal Roberts, Breanna Nix, and John Foster.
But Thunderstorm’s fans had a hard time coping with his elimination. One of Thunderstorm’s biggest fans is a little boy named Landon, who felt heartbroken after Thunderstorm didn’t make it through. A video of his tearful reaction to Thunderstorm’s elimination took off on TikTok.
Thunderstorm, a father of two young sons himself, saw Landon’s video and wanted to lift his spirits. He sent Landon a message telling him about his plans to return for the Idol finale!
During the video, he shared that he’d be singing with one of the finale’s guest performers, the War and Treaty.
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The War And Treaty Sings With Thunderstorm Artis During The Idol Finale
Michael Trotter Jr. and Tanya Trotter form the husband-and-wife duo, the War and Treaty. The pair has been nominated for CMA, ACM, and Grammy Awards and won multiple trophies from the Americana Music Honors & Awards.
As Thunderstorm shared in his video to Landon, he’s a huge War and Treaty fan. So he was thrilled to have the opportunity to sing with them on the Idol finale. They sang “Hey Driver,” the hit song the War and Treaty recorded with Zach Bryan.
Their voices flowed together flawlessly, making it sound like they’ve always been destined to perform as a trio. The Idol audience was mesmerized by their soulful performance.
Watch the video below to see Thunderstorm Artis sing with the War and Treaty. We’re so glad he was able to return for the Idol finale!